December 3, 2012

Not saying this was a determining point in the game, but had it taken Murray out, it absolutely would have been, but an official five yards away missing (or not calling) penalties like this is how Georgia got penalized 7 times to Alabama's 2.

This was absolutely a cheap shot and the SEC needs to put up or shut up about commitment to protecting defenseless players. The Big 12 champ. game had a legal block with that penalty to protect a defenseless player. What about the SEC. How about the inconsistency in interference calls? How about the uncatchable ball situation on the key call(Now I'll grant you a hold could have been called on that one but no way AJ Green even catches that ball.) I noticed the difference as well on late after whistle hits. We still have officials reactly differently to us than "Holy Alabama". The Saban worship impacts games and impacts officials, no doubt. We lost i accept that, but film clips need to find their way to the SEC office still.Aladawg

im a georgia fan and that was a clean hit. Murray was on DEFENSE at that point and a POTENTIAL TACKLER. he got his bell wrung. I love him to death and i love how he got up and didnt whine for a flag like McCarron. the bama guy led with his shoulder and their heads only collided bc of the impact of the hit. the Ogletree hit should not have been a penalty either since it was about .000005 seconds after he released the ball. but how about our player trying to eye gouge the bama player? he should be kicked up the team. its football people. your supposed to try to hit the other team hard and HURT them. not INJURE them. theres a big difference.

I am a Bama fan and I too, thought at first, Dial should have been flagged--not for a cheap shot--Murray was a defensive back moving towards an active play, though moving slowly. After seeing the play a hundred times in slow motion, I now believe that even the helmet to helmet shot should have not been called...Why? because Dial's original hit was a shoulder to shoulder hit..the helmet to helmet came into play by the whiplash of Murray. Murray actually ended up headbutting Dial. As a defensive back, Murray's responsibility was to loaf to the sidelines and make the tackle only if the runner broke past the original first line of defense. Dial's job was to block for his guy.

Only real cheap shot I saw in the game was the Georgia guy that gouged Millner. (And Bama got the penalty for retaliating.)

"an official five yards away missing (or not calling) penalties like this is how Georgia got penalized 7 times to Alabama's 2."

Wait... so the refs are under obligation to see that both teams receive equal penalties? Not quite.

And, per the rules, this shot was clean. Murray was moving toward the BAMA sideline which suggests to me he was still involved in the play. Dial was to the inside, didn't launch, and led with the shoulder.

Consult the NCAA rulebook, Article 3: "a. No player shall initiate contact and target an opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet."b. b. No player shall initiate contact and target a defenseless opponent above the shoulders"

Dial did neither of these things. The play was clean, the refs' call was correct. The only reason this is an issue is because the announcers (who, mind you, are miles from the action) decided it was a dirty shot, and we all know Verne Lundquist is an idiot.